Learn more about Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) by studying the spellings of some vocabulary words related to the autumn season: autumn, September, October, November, scarecrow, equinox, harvest, chestnut, deciduous, and chilly. Structured Word Inquiry English spelling is rule-based. There are no exceptions, just more rules to uncover. I have yet to find a word whose […] More
The story of the Halloween costume begins with the history of Halloween. The ancient Celtic people lived in northern Europe in areas now known as Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, and northern France. Winter began early, around November, for the Celts, who marked the occasion with the harvest festival of Samhain, the night on which […] More
The Duck and Pumpkin Creek Farms features a rubber duck in front of a pumpkin and squash display at Pumpkin Creek Farms in Sherman, Illinois. At the beginning of 2013, I made a resolution to post a weekly photograph of a rubber duck. Because my daughter loved rubber duckies so much, my goal was to […] More
The Duck and Curtis Orchard features a rubber duck in an oversized rocking chair at Curtis Orchard in Champaign, Illinois. At the beginning of 2013, I made a resolution to post a weekly photograph of a rubber duck. Because my daughter loved rubber duckies so much, my goal was to post a picture a week […] More
Autumn is here, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner! I love making wreaths with supplies that I mostly find at the dollar store. Although I have crafted more than enough wreaths to hang around my own home during the autumn season, I still enjoy making more that I donate to various wreath sales for […] More
The Thanksgiving season is upon us! While I have put up many of my Christmas decorations already, I refuse to leave poor Thanksgiving out in the cold. I thus also decorate my home with red, orange, yellow, and brown and many turkeys. Last year I created two Thanksgiving wreaths using red, orange, and yellow plastic […] More
My kiddos and I love apples and pumpkins, especially when cool autumn weather rolls around. Help celebrate the Halloween holiday with your young child by making an adorable apple print pumpkin Jack-o-lantern craft using apples, paint, and markers. Materials Apples Black construction paper Nontoxic orange and green paint Scrap cardboard Black marker Instructions Cut an […] More
Bat crafts make for a perfect Halloween activity! I also love using recycled materials such as toilet paper rolls in the crafts projects that I make with my kiddos. Help celebrate the upcoming Halloween holiday with your young child by making a simple and non-spooky black bat toilet paper roll craft. Materials Toilet paper rolls […] More
Frankenstein’s monster is an 8-foot-tall, hideously ugly monster created by mad scientist Victor Frankenstein in the Gothic novel Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley. Monster crafts make for a perfect Halloween activity! Toilet paper tubes also make craft great materials. Help celebrate the holiday with your young child by making a simple and non-spooky Frankenstein’s monster […] More
Ghost crafts make for a perfect Halloween activity! I also love using recycled materials such as toilet paper rolls in the crafts projects that I complete with my kiddos. Help celebrate the holiday with your young child by making a simple and non-spooky Halloween ghost toilet paper roll craft. Materials Toilet paper rolls Nontoxic white […] More
When I was pregnant with my daughter six years ago, I was thirty weeks into my pregnancy at Halloween. I was absolutely thrilled for the opportunity to dress up my pregnant belly. I had so many fun and safe Halloween costume ideas in mind. Unfortunately, Halloween fell on a Monday that year. Because I worked […] More
My kiddos and I love making crafts for each season of the year. Apples are a favorite craft subject during the autumn season. For an easy but fun fall craft, my children and I used construction paper, cupcake liners, dot markers, and craft pompoms to make an orchard of apple trees. Materials White mini cupcake […] More
